Hiroyuki

Thanks for the update. And, Pilsner from Echigo Beer? Niigata has a number of wonderful local beer (ji-beer) breweries, and Echigo Beer is Japan's first local beer brewery. Official website of Echigo Beer: http://www.echigo-beer.jp/index.html Edited to add: Butter on the potatoes: Was it really butter, not margarine?

Thanks OnigiriFB for answering before I did. I actually almost asked moderators to delete that post of mine because it was off-topic and potentially political in nature. I have nothing to add, except some very fundamental cultural aspects, which I shouldn't post because this is a food forum!

I have no recommendations. Even Harukiya (春木屋) in Ogikubo on Chuo Line, which serves Ogikubo ramen (one of Tokyo ramen), falls short of my expectations (too oily, too expensive (single bowl of default ramen, chuka soba, being 800 yen!!). Official website of Harukiya: http://www.haruki-ya.co.jp/index.html Menu: http://www.haruki-ya.co.jp/menu.html I would suggest buying one of expensive brands of ramen noodles and making ramen by yourself.

Slightly off-topic, but let me just say that after the World War II, the GHQ attempted to change the palate of the Japanese, feeding children with bread and milk. They never succeeded.

Here are some answers: Classification according to dashi type Tonkotsu ramen Characterized by its cloudy soup made by using tonkotsu (pig bones). Some (soups) are white and brownish. It is said that (tonkotsu soup) originated in a ramen shop located in Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, before the world war II, when they made mistakes in tonkotsu simmering time and heat intensity, cooking the soup on high heat for too long. In Kurume and Kumamoto, (the soup) is dense, while in Hakata, it is assari (less fatty) because it is strained. In Tokyo, Yokohama, Wakayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, and elsewhere, there are variations that are combined with soy sauce (tonkotsu shoyu). The ramen in Osaka is similar to those variations. *** I'm least interested in the current developments in ramen. In fact, I have a very low opinion of most contemporary ramen because they are too salty/fatty/expensive. I'm fed up with the "all ingredients in a single bowl" concept. Why can't people leave ramen as simple as possible and serve side dishes like gyoza, salad, and other healthy dishes?

Do you want to know whether tonkotsu broth is salt- or soy sauce-based? It can be both, so there can be both tonkotsu shio and tonkotsu shoyu. ← Hmmm. Now I'm more confused. Actually, I meant to ask what broths in Tokyo were usually based on. Can I assume they can either be shio or shoyu based as well? Aren't they usually clearer than a tonkotsu broth? ← Ah, you were talking about Tokyo ramen. Clear, soy sauce-flavored, usually chicken broth. Have you ever seen the movie Tampopo? Tokyo-style ramen is well depicted in it.

Right! I was wrong when I made my last post here. In 2006, there was a glut of raw milk in Japan, and producers have reduced the number of cows since then. Coupled with the fact that the consumption of raw milk has increased in China, India, and other countries, there are now shortages of raw milk in Japan, which is the main reason for the current shortages of butter.

Do you want to know whether tonkotsu broth is salt- or soy sauce-based? It can be both, so there can be both tonkotsu shio and tonkotsu shoyu.

Today (April 29), my children and I went to Yuzawa Flower Festival. There I found this banner: It says Doburoku (unrefined sake) Awayuki (name of the sake) Yuzawa Onsen Doburoku Tokku (Special Zone) As I mentioned somewhere else, in a doburoku tokku, farmers, inn owners, restaurant owners, and so on can make doburoku if they are granted a license. I posted other photos here.

Sorry for intrusion. Bu Pun Sun, you are not mistaken. About 25,000 yen, about 40 minutes, and sushi only. That's the problem with this and other high-end sushi shops, and that's the reason why I refrain going to such a sushi shop.

Thanks for showing us the inside of that building. I'm familiar with that object on the top of the building, but I didn't know that the inside would be like that. Find an unripe persimmon and eat it? It's inedible! There are actually two types of persimmon: Ama gaki (sweet persimmon) and shibu gaki (astringent persimmon). The former becomes sweet when it's ripe, while the latter stays astringent even when it's ripe. Shibu gaki are good (turned sweeter than ama gaki) when dried. You've already seen dried persimmons (hoshi gaki) somewhere in your trip.

I found it. It's made by Kawachu Shuzo, 河忠酒造, located in Nagaoka city, Niigata prefecture. Official website of the sake brewery: http://www.soutenbou.jp/ Apparently, this brand, Sokonuke, is distributed to restaurants only. The following webpage says so: http://www.freeist.jp/blog/sake/archives/2...2/14/index.html Sokonuke is cho karakuchi 超辛口 (super dry). As I mentioned somewhere, most sake iin Niigata are described as tanrei karakuchi (light and dry).

Touna (lit. winter green) とうな or 冬菜 is very popular in Niigata. Today, I got a large bag of touna from a brother-in-law. I posted some photos here.

Yesterday, I was a little extravagant and bought one nodoguro for 980 yen and 500 g domestic(!) asari (short-necked clams) for 600 yen. The nodoguro is NOT a cheap one like the ones shown upthread. I posted other photos here.

Forgot to mention them. They are kuruma ebi. They are highly valued in Japan, and are best eaten as tempura. They are also usually put in saw dust before shipment to keep them alive. Interestingly, this ebi is called differently according to size: 15 cm or greater in length: Kuruma ebi 10 to 15 cm: Maki (ebi) Less than 15 cm: Saimaki (ebi)

We often see tanuki figures holding a tokkuri (sake bottle). Images of tanuki holding a tokkuri But there are a lot other varieties as well.

No, butter is the only food item that we have suffered shortages of so far. As for rice, Japan is self-sufficient in it. Current increases in imported wheat flour have made domestic wheat flour and kome ko (rice flour) increasingly popular.

Yes, I have. You just put what's inside the thick skin in your mouth, move it about in your mouth to have the jelly-like, slightly sweet substance around the seeds, and spit out the seeds.

My son is really into wild herbs these day. He gathered some licorice and dandelion leaves somewhere and asked me to cook them. I reluctantly complied with his request. I posted photos here.

Let me provide two links to webpages regarding Mr. Kadowaki: http://www.zooom.jp/selection/580/ http://ameblo.jp/azabutime/entry-10014495578.html (both in Japanese only) I hope Peter doesn't mind. Fish called kime: Hm... Hamo, buri...

Recipes vary greatly. Sazae no tsuboyaki images Tsuboyaki can be as simple as simply placing sazae on a grill, pouring some soy sauce, and grilling. As I mentioned in that sushi shop thread, the chef's wife's recipe is as follows: Remove the flesh from the shell, remove the suna bukuro (sandbag), cut the flesh into small pieces, put them back in the shell, add some soy sauce and sake, and add one quail egg on top. Put some salt on a plate, place the shell, pour some alcohol, set fire, and serve. (And, the customer says, "Wow!" ) Some recipes even call for dashi.

Personally, I don't associate a tanuki figure with any type of restaurant. It's simply placed at the front of a restaurant to attract customers. As I mentioned somewhere else, my mother likes tanuki figures because of their big "balls". You can learn about tanuki figures from here, if you haven't searched for one.

From my traditional sushi shop in Niigata thread: Sazae no tsuboyaki (turban shell cooked in its own shell). The sazae is seasoned with soy sauce and sake. My son likes this particular dish. As for me, I like to have sazae as sashimi.

Hoya: I'm not familiar with hoya. I've never had them before. A quick google search tells me that they are popular in the coastal areas of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures, and have gradually become popular in other areas like Tokyo. They can be eaten as sashimi, sunomono (vinegared dishes) with cucumbers and other ingredients, tempura, and nimono (simmered dishes), and so on. Saw dust: DG has already replied. I'd like to add that saw dust is a good medium in that it causes less stress on the creatures. Yamaimo (lit. mountain potatoes) are also put in saw dust. Hora: I did a google search. Hora is short for horagai, so I think you are right.

Thank you very much! That certainly gives me a place to start, I appreciate it. Alas no as to the translation. He did all his schooling in English. He's perfectly fluent in Japanese but doesn't read or write it. ← I forgot to ask: Have you ever had ramen noodles in soba soup? Years ago, I had to do it for some reason or other, and I found this combination surprisingly good.